Plug for wells



Nov., 6, 1928.- 1,690,536

S. L. HARTMAN PLUG FOR WELLS Filed June 20, 1927 Patented Nov. 6, 1928.,

STATES STEPHEHL. HABTMAN, QF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

PLUG FOR WELLS.

Application filed June 20, 1927. Serial No. 200,050.

This invention has to do with a plug for wells, and it is a general object of the invention to provide'a plug useful generally in connection with oil wells, and the like.

Plugs are used in well casings for various purposes for example, they are used in carrying out the ordinary cem'enting methods employed to set casings. My present invention provides a plug useful generally in well casings where a plug is required. The plug pro,- vided by my invention is particularly suited for use when cementing a casing in a. well and, therefore, I will inthis application' set forth a form of the invention particularly useful as a cement plug, it being understood that the details of construction employed in the plug may be variedfto suit the particular use to which the plug is to be put. f

lt is a primary object of my invention to provide a plug which will automatically set itself in position upon being lowered to a predetermined position in the casing.

llt is another object of my invention to providey a plug which, when in operating position, is set a ainst movement in either direction.

Anotier object of my invention is to provide a plug which is simple and inexpensive of construction.

Itis another obj ec-t of this invention to provide a plug of the character mentioned embodying slip means operable tol hold the plug a ainst movement in either direction when the p u is set for operation.

lille various objects and features of the invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is had to the accompaynng drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, detailed, sectional view of the plug provided by my invention,d showing it in position to be passed through a casing to operating position; and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, detailed, sectional view of the plug, showing it in set or operating position at the lower end of a casing.

The plug provided by my invention includes, generally, two sections, a top section and a bottom section 11, slips 12 carried by the top section 10 operable to set the plug against upward 'movement in a casing C, slips 13 carried by the lower section 11 operable to set the plug against downward movement in the casing C, packin 14 arranged between the sections to make a uid tight connection b'etween the plug and casing,v and retaining one direction. 1

In accordance with the preferred construction, the sections 10 and 11 of the plug are cylindrical in their general configuration and are related or connected for relative longitudinal movement. `In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the lower end portion of the top section 10 is slidably carried on the reduced upper end portion 18 of the lower section 11. The packing 14 is arrangedon or around the reduced upper end portion 18 between the lower end 20 of the top section and the middle portion, 21 of the lower'section. In practice the lower end portion of the top section an the middle portion 21 of the lower section are made to fit the casing C with just sufficient clearance to allow the plug to be passed through thecasing to operating position. The packing 14, when in the normal or unactuated condition, likewise 'fits the casing C to allow free passage of the plug through the casing. `With the arrangement just'described, the upper and lower sections of the plug c-an be op# era-ted, that is, moved together to actuate orcompress the packing 14 and thus cause it to\ expand into packing or sealing engagement' with the casing C in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. v

The top section 10 is provided in its eXterior with a tapered recess or slip socket 22 to carry the slips 12. 4The slip socket 22 is upwardly convergent and, therefore, carries the slips 12 so that they operate to gri the casing C when the top section is moved upwardly but allow free movement'of the section downwardly in the casing. When the plug is being lowered into position in the casing, the slips are'at the upper end of the socket, for instance, adjacent the downwardly facing shoulder 23 at the upper end of the socket.. f

l provide a connection between the sections 10 and 11 to hold them together or against separation when in the extended or unactuated position, as shownl in Fig. 1.

rlhis connection may include arms 24 projecting from the upper end of the section 11 to co-operate with lugs 25 on the interior of the section 10. The arms 24 are provided on their outer ends with heads which present downwardly facing shoulders 26 to engage over or above the lugs, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lower section 11 is provided below its middle part 21 with a tapered recess or slip socket 30 which carries the slips 13. The slip socket 30 is downwardly convergent and, therefore, carries the slips 13 so that they operate to set the section 11 against downward movementJ in .the casing. I provide springs 31 between the lower ends of the slips 13 and the lower end 32 of the socket 30 to normally urge the slips upwardly to move them to operating position. The springs 31 may be carried in recesses or sockets provided in the lower ends of the slips 13 and the end 32 of the slip socket in the manner clearly shown in the drawings.

The retaining means 15 provided for the slips 13 operates to releasably hold the slips 13 out of operationagainst the resistance of the springs 31. The retaining means includes, generally, a plurality of levers pivotally mounted in the lower end portion of the section 11 and having heads 40 at their upper ends to engage and hold the slips 13, and heads 41 on their lower ends to engage ythe interior of the casing C. 1n practice,

there may be one lever in connection with or for each slip 13. Each lever is mounted on a pivot pin 43 and has an upwardly extending arm 44 carrying the head 40 and a downwardly extending arm 45 carrying the head 41. AThe head 40 projects outwardly through an opening 46 in the section 11 to engage above the upper end of the slip 13. The arm 45, which projects. downwardly from the pivot pin, 43, is provided at its lower end and below the section 11 with a head 41 which projects outwardly to engage the interior of the casing C as the plug is being arranged in the casing. Means, for instance, a" spring 48, may be provided in connection with the levers to normally urge the arms 44 inwardly or together and the arms 45 outwardly or apart. rlhe arms of the levers and the heads on the arms are proportioned and' related so that the heads 40 project, outwardly to engage and hold the slips 13 when the heads 41`are in engagement with the inner wall of the casing C. Upon the plug being lowered to a position where the heads 41'are allowed to move outwardly, for instance, to a position where the heads 41 pass below the lower end of the casing or shoe 50 on the lower end of the casing, the sprin' 48 causes the arms 44to move 4inwardly an thus withdraw the heads 40 from the slips allowing the slips to be moved upwardly by the spring 3l. In theparticular` construction shown, the spring 48 is a tension spring Lerares@ cause compression of the packing 14 and the slips 12 will operate to set the section 10 so that the packing is held in the actuated position. The plug is shown in the set position in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The valve 16, illustrated in the drawings,

is of the ball type and is mounted in the section 11 to be normally held by a spring 61 in engagement with a seat 60. In the particular plug illustrated, the ball valve 16 is arranged below the seat and is normally held up by the spring 61 which arrangement allows fluid to be circulated downwardly through the plug but checks or prevents upward circulation. Under certain conditions, it may be desired to hold thefvalve 16 open as the plug is lowered to position in the casing in which case a stem may be provided on the ball 16 to project upwardly through the section 10. In practice, the stem may be secured, for instance, tied to the lower end of a bit, or other tool, in a manner so that the stem is depressed in which case the valve A16 is held open. When thus applying the plug to a tool, or the like, to be loweredinto a casing, it may be tied to the tool by means of light wire, or the like, in the manner common -in oil eld practice.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent how the plug provided by my invention can be conveniently lowered into or through the casing C with the various parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When the plug reaches the desired point, for instance, when the heads 41 on the levers of the means 15 pass below the lower end of the shoe 50, slips 13 are released to prevent further downward'movement of the plug and, therefore, the plug is set at the lower end of the casing. When the slips 13 have been released to set the plug against downward movement, the top section 10 may be actuated to compress the packing 14 by downward pressure applied through the toolv ios for holding the ody against movement in one y direction, slip means for holding the body against movement in the other direction, and means for releasably holding one` of theslip immune means inoperative including a pivotally mounted latch member engaging the said slip means, the mounting of the latch being independent of the slip means.

2. A Well plug for operation in a casing including a body, slip means for holding the body against movement in one direction in the casing, slip means for holding the body against movement in the other direction in the casing, and a latch for releasably holding one of the slip means inoperative, the

' lat-ch having a part which engages the casing lll to hold it in operative position.

3. A Well plug for operation in a casing including a body, slip means for holding the body against movement in one direction in the casing, slip means for holding the body against movement in the other direction in the casing, a latch for releasably holding one of the slip means inoperative, a spring normally tending-to release the latch, and a part on the latch engaging the casing to hold the latch in operating position.

4. A Well plug including two slidably conf, nected sections, valve means controlling an opening through the sections, packing means to be operated by movement of the sections together, slip means carried by one section to hold the plug against movement in one direc tion, slip means carried by the other section to hold the plug against movement,` in the other direction, and means for releasably holding one of the slip means inoperative.

5. A Well plug including two tubular sec tions one extending into the other, means preventing separation of the sections, packing between the sections to be operated by movement of the sections together, slipv means carried by one section to hold the plug against' movement in one direction, slip means carried by the other section to hold Athe plug against movement in the other direction, and means for releasably holding one of the slip means inoperative.l

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of May 1927.

` STEPHEN L. HARTMAN. 

